Cookies and networkrail.co.uk. We use cookies to give you the best
experience on our website. If you continue, we'll assume that you are happy to receive
them.
You can read more about how we use cookies, and turn them off, on this page.

Network Specification - Western

This page contains our new planning documents for the Western route which covers the rail network from London, through the Thames Valley to Bristol, Exeter and Penzance.

Today’s railway

The scope of the Western route is extensive and diverse, the focal element being the Great Western Main Line which runs from London to Bristol leading into the main line route through the south west to Penzance. This creates main line links between London and the South West and to Wales. Extending from this are radial routes to Oxford, the Cotswolds, Birmingham and the South Coast. Branch lines into the London suburbs, to the Devon and Cornish coast and dedicated freight only lines complete the mix of routes.

Rail services within the route support long-distance, interurban and commuter passenger flows into and between the main centres of London, Reading, Bristol and Exeter. Significant freight flows also operate across the route and include intermodal, automotives and aggregate traffic serving a number of key freight terminals.

Tomorrow’s railway

There are a number of large investments proposed over the next 10 years including station improvements, service improvements and infrastructure interventions.

Highlights include:

Electrification of the Great Western Main Line between London, Oxford, Newbury and Bristol by 2016, extended to Cardiff by 2017

New ‘Super Express’ trains as part of the Intercity Express Programme providing a fleet of new electric and bi-mode trains for services between London, the south west and Wales from 2016/17

Major station investment delivered through the Reading Station Area Redevelopment project and Crossrail

Significant investment to improve capacity and reliability with Oxford corridor capacity improvements, Western Rail Access to Heathrow and resignalling programmes

In the south west, capacity improvements proposed around Bristol and at Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway stations

Freight improvements include gauge enhancements between London and Bristol and improved capacity between Southampton and the West Coast Main Line and around the Oxford area

Network and Route Specifications

The Network and Route Specification documents were published in April 2014 and were informed by the existing Route Utilisation Strategies as well as the Market Studies which were published in the Autumn of 2013 as part of the Long Term Planning Process.